1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to game packs, and more particularly relates to a Turkey Tote, a specialized carrier for a wild turkey taken by a hunter.
2. Description of Related Art
There are a number of generalized game bags for hunters, ranging from a simple bag to a backpack. There are some specialized game packs for hunters, including a game bag with a shoulder strap.
There is no previously known game pack specialized for the wild turkey which presents a number of problems. Chief among the problems presented by the wild turkey are the following:
1. The turkey may weight 15-25 pounds, and quickly gets very heavy to carry.
2. The turkey may be bloody or messy.
3. The turkey must cool rapidly to avoid spoiling.
4. The turkey must be placed out of sight so as not to remain a target for other hunters. If allowed to remain totally exposed, the taken wild turkey places the hunter, himself, in an unsafe position. Another hunter, seeing a wild turkey flapping and moving, could shoot at that wild turkey being carried on the hunter's back, causing injury or even death to the successful hunter.
Hunters generally, and certainly hunters in the wet north woods, are unpleasantly familiar with the tiny biting flies which swarm from time to time. Sometimes called black flies, sometimes called punkie flies, but most often referred to non-specifically as "no-see-ums," these tiny flies, though hard to see, are terrible pests. Webster's Second Edition Unabridged defines them as follows:
no-see'-um . . . [That is, you don't see'em; English of American Indians.] A punkie (fly). Collog.
One solution to the no-see-um is a bug repellant; another is a sort of fine-mesh veil, similar to mosquito netting for the much larger mosquito. Such a veil, made of very fine mesh, called "no-see-um mesh" for its capacity to interdict the ubiquitous and nasty "no-see-um," is itself quite visible and is available to hunters in shades of green color. "No-see-um mesh" is a colloquial descriptive term for very fine mesh, not a trademark. Like any veil, the fine mesh can partially obscure the features of a person veiled by it, but it is not primarily for concealment. It's to keep off the no-see-ums.
"No-see-um" mesh, the inventor has found, also can serve as a tick-interdicting airflow mesh, to block the deer tick, a common tick in the northeastern United States. The deer tick, although most easily found on deer because of the large size of the deer, also infest mice, birds--and mankind. They carry the spirochete of a serious infection, first diagnosed in Old Lyme, Conn., and therefore tagged "Lyme Disease."
A representative "no-see-um" mesh is Government CFI 84 flame retardant approved, 100% Nylon (TM) 20 denier, having a wale count of 32.times.23 per inch (approximately 13.times.9 per centimeter).
5. The turkey may be infested with ticks and thus be a danger to the hunter in transmitting Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, or other potentially disabling or deadly disease. The turkey, as it cools, becomes less attractive to ticks who may prefer to transfer onto the hunter.
6. The turkey is bulky and has significant wing and tail feathers which make it awkward and difficult to carry.
7. Having to carry the taken wild turkey with one hand, this leaves only one hand to carry the gun; posing an unsafe gun handling condition.
It is clear that, as the number of wild turkey increases and the sport of hunting wild turkey increases in popularity, there is a need for a game pack which solves the seven problems listed above.